Housing Demand

Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what his Department's estimate is of demand for housing units in each decade to 2050, broken down by UK region; [187330]

(2) what his Department's estimate is of extra demand for housing units by decade to 2050, by UK region. [187334]

Keith Hill:
The following table shows growth in household numbers using the 1996-based household projections for English regions. These give the additional households projected to form if demographic trends continue. They are not estimates of demand as they do not take account of future economic trends and housing supply.

The household projections are to 2021 only. The figures show projected additional households between 2001 and 2011 and between 2001 and 2021.

Households in Thousands:

2001 Base

Growth to 2011

Growth to 2021

England

20,992

1,527

3,008

North East

1,099

36

68

North West

2,875

122

235

Yorks. and Number

2,136

124

236

East Midlands

1,764

140

269

West Midlands

2,189

110

209

East

2,284

210

417

London

3,128

249

517

South East

3,403

332

657

South West

2,115

202

400

Mortgages

Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average mortgage taken out by first time buyers was in each year since 1997. [187331]

7 Sept 2004 : Column 1159W

Keith Hill:
The average advance (mortgage) taken out by first-time buyers across the whole of the UK during each year since 1997 has been as follows.

Year

Average advance (£000)

1997

46,600

1998

50,900

1999

57,400

2000

60,500

2001

67,000

2002

80,300

2003

82,600

Note:
The term "first-time buyer" refers to buyers who were not homeowners immediately prior to this purchase.
Source:
Survey of Mortgage Lenders.
Figures are shown to the nearest 100.

Post Offices

Mr. Battle:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Urban Deprived Fund will be extended to include post offices in the 20 per cent. most deprived wards. [186732]

Phil Hope:
The Deprived Urban Post Office Fund (DUPOF) was created as a one-off programme to target the most deprived areas with a fixed amount of funding (£15 million) which will be fully allocated by the end of October.

There are no plans to extend the scheme.

Affordable Housing

Mr. Liddell-Grainger:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact the additional funding granted to his Department in the 2004 Spending Review will have on the provision of affordable housing (a) in the Bridgwater parliamentary constituency and (b) in the South West; and what assessment he has made of the likely impact on the greenbelt and green spaces. [186540]

Keith Hill:
The funding provided in the Spending Review will, along with efficiency improvements, produce 75,000 social rented homes and 40,000 homes for essential public sector workers and low cost homeownership over the three years to 200708. Decisions have not yet been taken on how Regional Housing Pot funding for 200607 and 200708 (including the additional funding for affordable housing) is split between regions. This needs to reflect the different pattern of needs across regions and the Government's national housing priorities, including development of the growth areas, and targets. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is aiming to complete this work, which raises some complex issues, by the end of the year.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce decisions on allocation of funding within regions next summer in the light of recommendations from Regional Housing Boards, which are due in May next year.

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Mr. Love:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research his Department has carried out to assess the impact of expanding shared ownership schemes on the production of affordable rental housing for key workers and low-income groups. [187530]

Keith Hill:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published the results of an Evaluation of the Housing Corporation funded Low Cost Home Ownership Programme in 2002. The research found that shared ownership proved good value for money for both the public purse and for the consumer.

Shared ownership provides a means of helping key workers, existing social tenants and those on housing waiting lists into home ownership while at the same time helping to reduce pressure on housing waiting lists and freeing up existing social rented accommodation for those in priority housing need. The balance between social rented and shared ownership accommodation is dependent on the Government's national housing priorities together with regional and local housing strategies and investment priorities.

The funding provided in the Spending Review 2004 will, along with efficiency improvements, produce 75,000 social rented homes and 40,000 homes for essential public sector workers and low cost home ownership over the three years to 200708.

Mr. Love:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the credit needs of low and moderate income borrowers in relation to accessing affordable privately-rented accommodation. [187531]

Keith Hill:
None.

Audit Commission

Mr. Edward Davey:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent staff of the Audit Commission were working (a) in the Inspection Directorate, (b) in the Housing Inspectorate, (c) on the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, (d) on local authority audits and (e) in administration and management in each financial year since 200001. [187561]

Mr. Raynsford:
This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission. I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member and ensure that copies of the letter are made available in the Library of the House.

Building Regulations

Tom Cox:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to ensure conformity of requirements for fire safety under the Building Regulations 2000 and crime prevention measures introduced into the Building Act 1984 by the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Bill. [186791]

Phil Hope:
It is anticipated that the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Bill will receive Royal Assent during September. It will provide an opportunity for Building Regulations to make a fuller contribution to government policies on sustainability and crime prevention. The regulations and guidance needed to implement the powers given by the Bill have not yet been drafted. When doing so, officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will identify the issues that are

7 Sept 2004 : Column 1161W

amenable to control through the Building Regulations and seek the advice of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and key stakeholders. The proposals will be subject to Regulatory Impact Assessment and public consultation in the usual way.

Tom Cox:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether fire safety requirements for occupants' means of escape and emergency access for the fire and rescue service in the current Building Regulations will take precedence over requirements for crime prevention measures due to be introduced into the Building Act 1984 and the Building Regulations by the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Bill. [186793]

Phil Hope:
Security and means of escape and emergency access are important to life safety. However, the practical requirements can conflict if not considered holistically. When new Building Regulations and guidance are drafted for Security, officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will take advice from the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, key stakeholders and other experts, to ensure a sensible and safe balance is achieved. The proposals will be subject to Regulatory Impact Assessment and public consultation in the usual way.

Sue Doughty:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies he has undertaken regarding the energy losses occurring in public and private heated swimming pool shells in advance of his forthcoming consultation document on improving the building regulations concerning the conservation of fuel and power. [187385]

Phil Hope:
Proposals for amending the Building Regulations energy provisions next summer were published on 21 July 2004. The consultation document indicates that whilst initial studies have shown significant benefits could accrue from defining standards for pools, more investigations are needed to establish the costs and benefits on a national scale, and whether regulating would be cost-effective and proportionate. It will be impossible to complete the investigations in time to influence this amendment but it will be taken into account next time.